tormented 1 of 2

adjective

as in tortured

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tormented

2 of 2

verb

past tense of torment
as in plagued
to cause persistent suffering to he was tormented by nightmares about the accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tormented
Verb
From Boyle Heights to Monterey Park, residents said they were overwhelmed by the smoke from the week-long fire, and then tormented by the horrible stench from decaying meat and seafood. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 The sound of the bell which, until yesterday, had tormented Kikuko, was today her ally. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 Or suppose you’re being tormented by someone in power, but lack the ability to explain to others—or even to yourself—exactly how you’re being wronged. — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026 The trailer shows Depp as Scrooge tormented by the terrifying spirits of Christmas, haunting him throughout the Christmas season. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 23 July 2026 Elordi played high school bully Nate, who in Season 3 dealt with some goons who tormented him and brutally physically assaulted him. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 July 2026 The iconic college film follows a group of freshmen who grew tired of being tormented by the fraternity brothers of Alpha Beta at Adams College. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 The three-paragraph note compared Lyons to a Nazi and predicted that Lyons would be tormented by his own conscience. — Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 6 July 2026 Tournament favorites France, for example, have so thoroughly taunted and tormented their opponents that anything short of the final would seem an injustice at this point. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tormented
  1. tortured
  2. plagued
  3. frustrated
  4. persecuted
  5. harassed
  6. afflicted
  7. harried
  8. besieged
Adjective
  • The committee is tasked with analyzing and reviewing problematic conference papers and enhancing quality screening of articles prior to publication to detect integrity issues such as plagiarism and tortured phrases.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 30 July 2026
  • This discovery stunned de Man’s colleagues and students, and was particularly traumatic for Derrida, who attempted a tortured but ultimately unconvincing reckoning with what his friend had written as a young man.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 July 2026
Definition of tortured
Verb
  • Ireland’s museum sector is reportedly plagued by precarious contracts, low pay, unpaid labor, and toxic workplace cultures, driving burnout, excluding talent, and risking the loss of vital institutional knowledge.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has consistently blamed vandals for the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool, which has been plagued by a peeling liner and resurfacing algae.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagued
Adjective
  • Some parents said the closure has left them frustrated and seeking more transparency from city officials.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Bohm was not in the lineup Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays after going 0-for-4 with a walk on Friday, which included a visibly frustrated walk back to the dugout.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of frustrated
Verb
  • Although the two programs similarly target humanitarian concerns, being a TPS holder does not guarantee asylum, which requires that applicants prove they’ve been persecuted on specific grounds.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In The Bacchae, Dionysus becomes violent only because his existence has been denied and his followers persecuted, and his maenads similarly become destructive only when pursued.
    — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026
Definition of persecuted
Adjective
  • Others were placed under house arrest, harassed or subject to extensive surveillance, or had their passports confiscated, according to prior NPR reporting and the findings of the United Nations and rights groups.
    — Emily Feng, NPR, 17 May 2026
  • For years, Christian clergy who live and work in Jerusalem have reported being frequently spat on, harassed and even physically attacked by Israeli extremists.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 1 May 2026
Definition of harassed
Verb
  • Repeat this process once the soil has dried again, until affected plants are no longer afflicted with pests.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Blending horror with comedy, the Apple TV show takes place in a fictitious New England island town afflicted by a centuries-old curse that brings about supernatural evils.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
Definition of afflicted
Adjective
  • The audio of the emergency towing call captures a harried, often confusing scene and not everything in the recording is audible or makes sense.
    — Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
  • The assignment’s seen as an intrusion into their harried lives.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
Definition of harried
Verb
  • And yet, besieged by the same afflictions of greed, self-interest and a comical inability to work together, horse racing is doing its damndest to similarly mess up its very good thing.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The staff means business, with the host stand besieged by walk-ins, take-out orders, and impatient guests waiting outside.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of besieged

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Cite this Entry

“Tormented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tormented. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of tormented for Spanish Speakers

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